It’s been a good week for the Ben Schroeder series! On Sunday 9 December, Calling down the Storm leapt to Number 1 in the Amazon Legal Thriller chart, overtaking books by Michael Connelly and John Grisham. All fame is transitory, particularly best seller lists, but it’s satisfying to be a best seller sometimes if only for a short time! Judge Walden: Back in Session recently appeared atop the crime and mystery short story list. On Tuesday 4 December the latest Ben Schroeder thriller, One Law for the Rest of Us, was launched at Heffers Book Store in Cambridge. It was a well attended event, and I talked about the book and about Ben Schroeder generally, giving a short reading, before signing copies for those who attended. I was very honoured that Linda Fairbrother and Victor Lucas, both former High Sheriffs of Cambridgeshire, with whom I had worked as a Judge before my retirement from the bench, attended. I’m honoured too that a good crowd of family, friends, and readers came to enjoy the wine and the occasion. Many thanks to Richard Reynolds and the staff at Heffers for making the occasion such a success. One Law for the Rest of Us is a darker book, dealing with the cover up of generational child sexual abuse, and contains some very bad language and some very explicit sexual scenes. But of course, there is much more to it than that. I’m sure readers will agree with me, and with my editor, that it is appropriate to deal with this pervasive blot on our society directly and honestly, and will find the book to be, as reviewer Paul Magrath put it, ‘a knife-edged legal drama’. I hope readers will continue to enjoy the series.

Together with No Exit Press, I am delighted to announce the launch party for the next book in the Ben Schroeder series, One Law for the Rest of Us. The launch will be held at Heffers Book Store, Trinity Street, Cambridge, on Tuesday 4 December, 6.30 to 8.30 pm. I hope my readers who live with striking distance of Cambridge will come and join in the celebration. Heffers is always a great venue and the refreshments promise to be excellent. I am pleased that One Law is finally ready to make its appearance. Reviewer Paul Magrath calls it a ‘knife-edged courtroom drama’. It is certainly a story full of legal drama and skulduggery. But it’s been the most difficult of all my books to write. It’s a dark tale of child sexual abuse over two generations, and the efforts of certain people in high places to cover that abuse up. Readers should be aware that it contains some graphic sexual scenes and some very bad language. I make no apology for this; indeed, the subject demands it; my editor and I agree that it is not out of place. Nonetheless, I think it is only fair to warn my readers that it’s rather different in tone from the earlier books in the series. That being said, I hope you will welcome and appreciate this exploration of a disturbing phenomenon all too prevalent across the world, including the UK. I look forward to seeing you and autographing your copy at Heffers. There is no charge to attend, but please sign up on the Heffers events page so that they have an idea how many people are coming: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/heffers-bookshop-11258858158. Oh, and Heffers looks a bit different now from the image below, but it’s one I really like!

See our ads in Private Eye, the editions on 27 November and 11 December!

EXCITING NEWS! Today, Judge Walden: Back in Session is ranked number one in the Kindle Crime, Thriller and Mystery Short Stories Category!

Many thanks to Ion Mills and the team at No Exit Press, and to Ben Cameron, for their work in publicising the book, and of course to everyone who bought a copy! Back in Session is the second of the Walden series, the TV and film rights to which have been optioned by producer Alistair Maclean-Clark of AMC Pictures (see earlier posts). It is ranked 400 overall in the Kindle list, which is very satisfying. All of this has helped sales, both of Back in Session and the first in the series, Walden of Bermondsey. I have just completedthe third volume of Walden stories, which will be published under the title Judge Walden: Call the Next Case.

The second in the series of short stories featuring Judge Walden and the Bermondsey Crown Court, Judge Walden: Back in Session, has now been published, and as you will see from this pic taken recently at Gatwick, it has really taken off (pun intended) being spotted in airports as well as in book shops! It has been well received and reviewed, and I am continuing to work with Alistair Maclean-Clark on our efforts to market the Walden series to a TV company. Ben Cameron, of Cameron Publicity and Marketing, has assisted greatly with publicity for the Walden books, resulting in a number of forthcoming interviews with local BBC radio stories, and hopefully one on local BBC TV. Ben has run an energetic and thorough campaign, for which I’m very grateful. I’m about half way through writing Walden volume three, as yet untitled, which will be published next year as the next in the series. Meanwhile, the latest in the Ben Schroeder series, One Law for the Rest of Us, will be published later in the year – watch this space!

Judge Walden: Back in Session, the second volume of stories in the Walden of Bermondsey series, is on the way! No Exit Press has announced a publication date of 3 May. In the light of the success of the first volume, and the option agreement for the TV and film rights, Ben Cameron Publicity and Marketing is now working with Alistair Maclean-Clark (previous posts) and myself to ensure good publicity for both books. No Exit has also commissioned a third volume, on which I am just starting work, so a busy year lies ahead! A launch event for Back in Session will be announced shortly. Below is the link to Ben’s press release for the book.

For the third time, I was delighted to take part in the annual literary dinner at Huntingdon’s Old Bridge Hotel on Friday 12 January. The Old Bridge’s owner, John Hoskins, is renowned in East Anglia for the hotel’s cuisine and its wine shop/cellar – reputed to be the best in England – and for the expert selections of wines he makes as a Master of Wine, to accompany his chef’s creations. If you’re in the area, check it out, and my tip would be: try the fabulous cream teas available in the afternoons. Each year the Old Bridge hosts many excellent wine and culinary dinners, but the literary dinner is now rapidly becoming an established tradition, also. This year, my agent Guy Rose and I gave an ‘authors and agents’ presentation, ‘interviewing’ each other about the process of publishing, and of offering books for development in the world of TV and film, from the perspective of both author and agent. Guy has a host of interesting stories about the famous clients he represents and has represented, and has a tendency to name-drop, for which, he admits, the Queen scolded him gently only last week. In addition to those in search simply of an entertaining dinner, there were two or three budding authors in attendance, to whom Guy was able to offer some words of encouragement and advice. A copy of Walden of Bermondsey or Calling down the Storm was included in the price of the dinner. Ion Mills, of No Exit Press, my publisher, was present with a good selection of other books for sale, and, I’m pleased to report, returned home with very few of them left. It was a delightful evening, and my thanks to John, Guy and Ion for making it possible. Sadly, such events are rare in the Huntingdon area, but the literary dinner is a fine institution, and hopefully the Old Bridge’s example may inspire others to give it a try.

“Modern day Rumpole” series optioned by Revelation

No Exit Press is pleased to announce that the option on the TV and film rights to Peter Murphy’s Walden of Bermondsey series has been acquired by Revelation Content and Media Limited. Peter Murphy recently retired as a judge after a career in the law, and Walden of Bermondsey, a collection of humorous and satirical short stories told through the eyes of a Crown Court judge, is based in part on his own experiences. Published in November, the book has been hailed as a worthy successor to John Mortimer’s Rumpole stories, as well building on the tradition of Henry Cecil and AP Herbert. A second volume of the stories, Judge Walden: Back in Session, will be published in May 2018.

Walden of Bermondsey was given a great launch in the elegant and historic surroundings of the Queen’s Room at Middle Temple on the evening of 5 December. Undeterred by the weather a good crowd of friends, some of them judges, gathered for wine, canapés and an autographed copy of the book. A number came armed with their Christmas shopping lists and bought additional copies as gifts. It felt as though I spent most of the evening signing books, but I know I also gave a reading from Where there’s Smoke, the first story in the book, and formally announced the agreement with Alistair Maclean-Clark to acquire the option for the TV and film rights for this book, and Judge Walden: Back in Session, which is to be published in May or June next year: see previous post. I was delighted that Alistair was present with his wife, Rosaria. My agent Guy Rose, who brought Alistair and me together, was also there with his wife, Alexandra. Thanks to the staff at Middle Temple, who were superb as ever, and to Ion, Claire, Clare, Frances and Tasha from No Exit Press, who organised and ran the event with their usual efficiency and charm. And, of course, to all who attended. Pictures follow. Second picture left, shows Alistair (foreground, left) and Guy (right) with their wives. Third left, yours truly with fellow No Exit author Leigh Russell. Fourth left, signing a book for Heather Galwas from St Ives (Cambs) Library, which has welcomed me as a speaker a number of times. Top right: this is how I know I interrupted signings to say a few words.

There is exciting news about Walden of Bermondsey and the second volume in the series Judge Walden: Back in Session. Producer Alistair Maclean-Clark has acquired the option for the TV and film rights to the books in a deal announced yesterday. I will be working with Alistair towards producing a pilot episode, including selecting a scriptwriter to turn the stories into good TV scripts, and provisional casting of the main characters. It’s a new world for me, an exciting one, and I am very grateful to my agent, Guy Rose, for his skill and hard work in bringing the agreement about: guy@futermanrose.co.uk.

The launch for Walden of Bermondsey is coming up on Tuesday 5 December (see previous posts, and below). There is still time to book a ticket, or you can just turn up on the night. The venue is the beautiful Queen’s Room at Middle Temple, and in addition to the superb venue and the wine, the price includes an autographed copy of the book. The second volume, Judge Walden: Back in Session, will be published in June 2018, and I am pleased to announce that former Lord Chief justice, Lord Judge, has agreed to write the foreword for this volume

Walden ofBermondsey was published on 23 November, and has already had some very encouraging reviews. A selection follows.

Warm, witty and endearingly entertaining, fans of Rumpole of the Bailey will relish this romp through the trials and tribulations of a Bermondsey based Resident Judge’
Joanne Owen, LoveReadingwww.lovereading.co.uk

‘Think Judge Deed, with less moral constipation, with a flair of Kavanagh QC and a smidgen of Rumpole of the Bailey. Walden of Bermondsey is the legal procedural equivalent of a cosy mystery’
Cheryl, Cheryl M M’s Book Blogcherylmmbookblog.blogspot.co.uk

‘Charlie is not the only character in Walden Of Bermondsey who I found interesting. He works with some colourful colleagues, whose interactions with both Charlie and each other provides the novel with humour’
Kate, Portable Magicportablemagic.net

‘What makes it stand out are the fabulously witty moments and seeing a court through the eyes of a judge instead of a lawyer… I really enjoyed meeting Charlie Walden’
Eva, Novel Deelightsnoveldeelights.com

Peter Murphy was interviewed by Sharon from Shaz’s Book Blog about his new character Walden and his writing life.
Sharon, Shaz’s Book Blogshazsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk